aeturnum
by Sasya Futare
Summary: forever-/And as she stares at his beautiful face she decides that she'll never leave him again/SasuSaku/


**aeturnum**

_forever_

* * *

When Sasuke is finally brought home, he is dying. Battered and on the brink of death.

Sakura knows it well. She was there when they fought. She was there when that goodfornothingevilfucking_bastard_ came onto the scene. She was there when they delivered the final blow, side-by-side. So yes, Sakura is fully aware of the fact that Sasuke was probably in a worse condition than Naruto and as good as dead at this point.

But she doesn't go to him. She is tired and frustrated and upset. And perhaps she is selfish and cruel too, because she goes to Naruto and tends to him instead.

The days pass by. Funerals are being held for those who lost their lives in battle, buildings are being rebuilt and Konoha is learning to live. Sakura is in perfect condition again, performing her duties at the hospital tirelessly from day to night. Naruto hasn't woken up yet but his body is almost fully healed now, thanks to the Kyuubi.

She hasn't seen Sasuke since they first arrived.

A part of her doesn't want to mix with anything associated with the Uchiha. Another part is craving to hug him senseless and chain him to the Hokage mountain just to make sure he doesn't leave again. And it is this part that makes her mind wonder about his injuries, if he's regained consciousness yet, how he's coping, forgetting all about the endless stacks of paperwork on her desk.

It only lasts for a while though and soon enough, she is back to hating all things Sasuke, her feelings and the world in general.

Three weeks pass and things are almostnotexactlybut_almost_ back to normal. Naruto is constantly trying to persuade her to visit Sasuke, to give him a good slap on the face, to hear him out, to just be okay again. At this Sakura is angry because she'll give him much more than just a slap, he'll never say anything and is being okay again even possible anymore? But she doesn't say that to Naruto because he is so happy to have Sasuke back again and she loves Naruto too much to hurt him like that.

So she goes to Ino for support. She tells Ino that she's tired and frustrated and upset and selfish and cruel and she yells and complains and screams while Ino is quiet, listening to every word. When Sakura is calm again, Ino speaks up. She says that maybe Sakura is right to hate him for everything he did but she cannot go on forever if she truly wants to be happy again. And in the back of her mind Sakura knows Ino is right and admits to herself that maybe she is simply afraid of what will happen when she sees Sasuke again.

One rough night and half a bottle of sake later, Sakura thinks to herself _whythehellnot?_ and makes the decision to visit her _onceuponatime_ teammate. Looking back on that night, Sakura tells herself that it was the alcohol and the stupidity and maybe even desperation that gave her the courage to slip through his hospital room's window on that cold autumn night.

He is beautiful, she thinks. He is fast asleep and he is wrapped in bandages and he must be so out of it if he is letting his guard down like that. If she recalls correctly, Sasuke has always been a light sleeper and was always_always_ alert of his surroundings. But all that aside, Sakura thinks Sasuke is beautiful when he sleeps.

Which is why she makes herself comfortable on the notsocomfortable chair next to his hospital bed and watches him in a somewhat state of peace. And there on that cold autumn night she finds it in herself to forgive all of his past sins.

It is a few hours to sunrise and she is drifting off to dreamland herself when Sasuke stirs. Sakura is immediately awake again but she does nothing but watch as he whimpers and twists in his sleep, face twisted in discomfort.

It is a few hours to sunrise when Sasuke's demons return.

It isn't long before Sasuke starts groaning and fisting the sheets and muttering curses at nothing in particular. Sakura is by his side in an instant and tries to shake him awake. When it doesn't work, she resorts to stroking his hair and muttering sweet nothings in his ear because she really doesn't know what to do. She is even more dumbfounded when his bloody_red_ eyes snap open and he is panting and in cold sweat.

That's when she sees the agony and _pain_ in his eyes. That's when she sees how truly selfish and cruel she has been because while she was reflecting on the past, he was suffering in the present.

She likes to think it was guilt that made her stay with him that night, but years later she knows it was really because she lovesloves_loves_ Sasuke.

Sakura pulls him into a tight hug and expects him to push her away. But his dream must have gotten to him because she feels his arms wrap around her waist. They stay in that position for what seems like forever to her but in reality was a few minutes. But in those few minutes, so many unspoken _thankyous _and _I'msososorrys _were exchanged between them that Sakura thinks maybejust_maybe_ they can be okay again after all.

Soon Sakura finds herself lying in the hospital bed with Sasuke in her arms. He isn't shivering anymore and his breathing is even and he is sleeping peacefully again. She is stroking his hair and pressing chaste kisses to the crown of his head and she is content and maybe even happy.

And as she stares at his beautifulbeautiful_beautiful_ face she decides that she'll never leave him again, that she'll be the one to chase his demons away, that she'll be the one to help him heal. Sakura realizes that she has always loved Sasuke and maybe it goes without saying that she'll love him for forever.

* * *

_i love you, forever_

* * *

**notes: **Okay wow. It's been a long time since I've written anything. So I'm so sorry if this was bad. I'm pretty sure my tenses were absolutely dreadful here. Oh well.

This didn't really come out the way it should but I suppose I'm sorta happy on the result. The whole way I was forcing myself to type and finish the thing so I won't get distracted and end up not finishing this ever. And I'm proud of myself that I did finish it in the end. Aaaaaaaaaaand I'm talking gibberish. Ahahahaha. Okay yea well don't mind me cuz I'm just gonna sleep now. Goodnight world (or good morning since it's already 2?)

Please review .v


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